“Thou Art God”

Last Sunday at Mass the communion hymn, ” In Every Age O Lord” , touched a longing deep in my heart. It’s based on Psalm 90 which reads, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.”(Ps. 90:2) 

At times, I can find myself overwhelmed at the challenges and evil that face us each day. It’s clear that they are all too much for me…no big surprise there…but are they too big for us… I’m afraid the answer is also yes. Okay, what’s the next question? Are these challenges too big for our God? Hmmmmmm.

Well, finally some good news…. the challenges and evil of the world are not too much for our God. As I focus on the greatness of our God, I realize it’s a stupid question…. a ridiculous question. Our God is mighty and he is loving…nothing is able to challenge our God. He is God! Yet we are not God; our frame is weak. Without the Lord, we have no chance against the evil of the world and we should be discouraged if left to ourselves. But the Lord has not left us to ourselves. 

We join the psalmist as he cries out,  “Have pity on thy servants! Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as thou hast afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” (Ps. 90:13-17)

The beautiful hymn continues, “Teach us to make use of the time we have. Teach us to be patient even as we wait. Teach us to embrace our every joy and pain.” Followed by the powerful truth of the refrain sung again and again….. “In every age O God, you have been our refuge….in every age O God you have been our hope.” 

Psalm 90 is attributed to “Moses, the Man of God”, yet it is written for every man and woman who has ever walked the earth. Our hope is in God, in the Blessed Trinity…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the saving power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In every age from Adam to Abraham to Moses to David to Joseph to Francis to Aquinas to Theresa to Karol to you and to me….. “O God you have been our refuge…O God you have been our hope”.  And yes, that is very good news.